Special Standard Six - 1928 Buick Sport Roadster

Examining a rare and rarely-seen 1928 Buick Sport Roadster

Feature Article from Hemmings Motor News

You never know what you'll come across when you wander the rows at the AACA Hershey Fall Meet. One of many cars that caught the eyes of the Hemmings staff as we wandered the swap meet, this fetching 1928 Buick was being offered for sale by its longtime owner. The jaunty Jazz Age roadster looked great with its spoke wheels, golf bag door and contemporary Connecticut front plate.
Buick called this car the Standard Six Series 115, Model 24; it was their Sport Roadster, which comfortably seated two, but could handle up to four passengers, thanks to its standard rumble seat. Under the long hood was an overhead-valve, four-main bearing inline-six. Fed by a Marvel T3 carburetor, this 207 cu in engine--with a new cylinder head design--made 63hp and 140 lbs ft of torque. It was mated to a three-speed manual gearbox that featured a new-for-1928 conventional "H" shift pattern.
This car illustrates why prospective Buick buyers enjoyed greater choices in 1928 than ever before. It featured new Lovejoy hydraulic shock absorbers at each wheel, which supported a stronger double-drop frame with deeper side channels that afforded a lower, sportier body. Enhancing that body's good looks were smooth fenders, a new radiator shell (plated in nickel, like the hood fasteners and forward-folding windshield frame) and three-bar Wolverine bumpers. Standard Sixes gained the dash-mounted fuel and temperature gauges that most Master Sixes had enjoyed since 1927, and this Model 24 was one of only two Standard series cars to wear fully plated (rather than plated and painted) headlamp buckets.
With just 4,513 built, the Standard Sport Roadster was one of the lowest-production Buicks to leave Flint in 1928, and this restored example was a fine representation of the breed. Its two-tone green paint was complemented by chestnut-colored upholstery that had minor creasing and an inviting patina. The rubber floor mat still looked new, while the wooden steering wheel rim's varnish had some minor cracks and scrapes. The Buick Club of America sticker in the lower right corner of the windshield tells us that the car was cared for by a marque enthusiast, always a good sign to a buyer.
The seller's asking price represented a premium over the car's book value, but we don't blame him--34 years of careful ownership, coupled with the car's rarity, gives him the prerogative to ask what he wants. If it did sell, we hope this Sport Roadster's new owner will enjoy it and continue to share it with the vintage-car world.
1928 Buick Model 24 Sport Roadster
Asking price: $32,500
Seller description: "Same owner since 1978. Older restoration, runs and drives great!"
Known issues: Minor paint chips and scuffs, commensurate to light use and the age of the restoration.
Why buy: A rare and sporty vintage Buick in excellent condition, a car that's obviously been loved and cared for through the years. It still presented well for showing, and looked like a fun driver, too.
Original list price: $1,195
Value today: $27,000, which could also buy you a four-cylinder Chevrolet National AB Roadster or Convertible Sport Coupe; it represents a genuine bargain compared to an equivalent-style La Salle or Cadillac.

This article originally appeared in the April, 2013 issue of Hemmings Motor News.